Striving

God mentions striving in the Quran in 27 verses. Some definitions of “strive” include: To exert oneself vigorously, to try hard; to make a strenuous effort toward any goal; to struggle vigorously as in opposition or resistance.

[5:35] O you who believe, you shall reverence GOD and seek the ways and means to Him, and strive in His cause, that you may succeed.

What is striving in God’s Cause? One way to strive in His cause is with money.

[9:44] Those who truly believe in GOD and the Last Day do not ask your permission to evade the opportunity to strive with their money and their lives. GOD is fully aware of the righteous.

[9:88] As for the messenger and those who believed with him, they eagerly strive with their money and their lives. These have deserved all the good things; they are the winners.

[49:15] Mu’mens (believers) are those who believe in GOD and His messenger, then attain the status of having no doubt whatsoever, and strive with their money and their lives in the cause of GOD. These are the truthful ones.

In today’s modern society, money is used as the predominant mode of getting provisions.

It is also a very common way of giving to charity. I think when we go above and beyond Zakat, that could be a form of striving. The reason I believe it’s more than just Zakat is because Zakat is obligatory. When I read 49:14-15 striving with their money and lives is one thing that sets “believers” apart from “submitters” (and submitters would give Zakat).

[16:90] GOD advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed.

[2:274] Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

Charity can also take other forms, like forgiving a debt or forfeiting something you are owed. [2:280] If the debtor is unable to pay, wait for a better time. If you give up the loan as a charity, it would be better for you, if you only knew.

Believers also strive with their lives. What does that mean? It’s pretty clear cut how to strive with your money, but how do we strive with our lives?

Let’s take some examples from the Quran to give us a sense. Some of these are not addressed as striving in the Quran, but are mentioned because they take effort and perseverance.

Spreading the message 

[16:125] You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones.

Feeding the poor

[90:10-14] Did we not show him the two paths? He should choose the difficult path. Which one is the difficult path? The freeing of slaves. Feeding, during the time of hardship.

[76:9] “We feed you for the sake of GOD; we expect no reward from you, nor thanks.

Emigrating

Our entire Submitter community as a whole is small. There are Submitters all around the world who are communities that consist of just one family, or a few individuals, or perhaps there is only one person.

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